Trait-Like and State-Like Oxytocin: A Biomarker of Alliance in Patients with Depression and Borderline Personality Disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) show a poorer prognosis compared to patients without BPD. A potential contributor is the complexity of establishing a therapeutic alliance with patients with BPD. A potential underlying biological mechanism is oxytocin (OT), a hormone associated with social bonding and trust. The aim of this study was to assess whether the interaction between OT pre-session (session-level trait-like) and change in OT throughout the session (state-like) in both patients and therapists predicts the therapeutic alliance in patients with MDD and varying severity levels of BPD. We hypothesized that patients with higher BPD severity would show a compensatory pattern, where an increase in state-like OT wou

SUBMITTER: Peysachov G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12782610 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature